The Difference Between Power Washing, Pressure Cleaning & Soft Washing

Power Washing vs Pressure Cleaning vs Soft Washing

Before hiring an exterior cleaning company, it is important that you learn about the difference between power washing, pressure washing and soft washing. Doing so will help you choose the right professional pressure cleaning services. So, without further ado, here are the differences between these exterior cleaning services:

Power Washing
Power washing uses high pressurised water to remove surface material like mud, dirt, mould, mildew and any other contaminants from the exterior of a building. What makes power washing different from pressure washing is the fact that it uses water heated to a hot temperature to break down contaminated materials. And the good thing is that it does this job better than regular water.

Heavy power washing materials are usually used to do power washing. Even though these machines only shoot out water, their shooting power makes them very dangerous to those who are not professionals. As such, it is good to look for a power washing company to do power washing. Hiring such a company will help you avoid serious injuries and damage to your property.

Since power washing machines shoot water at high pressure, power washing is only used to clean hard, exterior surfaces like sidewalks, patios, decks, fences and driveways. Keep in mind that extra force is required to remove grime and dirt on hard surfaces.

Pressure Cleaning
There are many similarities between pressure cleaning and power washing. And since these two services are so similar,  some people think that they are the same service. However, there are slight differences between these two services.

The major difference between the two is the fact that pressure cleaning uses normal temperature water. It relies on the force of water instead of water temperature. The water comes out at high pressure and blasts away mould, dirt, mildew and any other materials which need to be removed from the surface being treated.

Just like power washing, heavy machinery is used to do pressure cleaning. Therefore, it is good to have the job done by a professional pressure cleaning service provider. Another similarity between these two services is the fact that the water velocity is similar which makes them suited for cleaning hard external surfaces.

You need to be especially careful when using pressure cleaning and washing on painted surfaces and rendered areas since choose too high of a pressure can damage the home’s paint job and siding. Power washing is ideal for concrete areas like fences, sidewalks, driveways, decks, pathways and patios. This is because of the fact that such areas require extra pressure to remove dirt. In addition, they are also strong enough not to be damaged by the high pressure.

Soft Washing
Soft washing is totally different from pressure washing and power washing. When it comes to soft washing, environmentally safe and eco-friendly chemical solutions are used to clean the exterior of a house. Despite the fact that the exterior of your house is strong enough to stand up to withstand harsh, outdoor elements, it is also very delicate as it has several layers of paint and weather coating protection that can be chipped away by a high powered pressure washer.

It is a good idea to look for a professional soft washing company to help you soft wash your house. Even though soft washing does not use high powered pressured machines, the dirty removal process and the chemicals used are hazardous enough to need professional attention.

Professionals know how to handle chemicals safely. They will apply the chemical solution and leave it for several minutes to allow it to sink into your home’s siding cracks and pores. This will help break down any mould, dirt, mildew and any other bothersome materials.

After leaving the solution for several minutes, the professional cleaner will get rid of the dirt and solution using a low rinse system. Unlike a pressure washer and power washer, the low rinse system used when it comes to soft washing is a step above an average water hose. Soft washing relies on the chemical solution to clean your house meaning that this service will not damage your homes facade.

Justin Helmuth
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